President Bola Tinubu has praised the contributions of Nigerian workers to the growth and development of the country. In a speech delivered by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the 2024 Workers’ Day celebration in Abuja, President Tinubu commended the workers for their dedication and hard work.
The President assured the workers that the current administration’s reform agenda is geared towards the progress of Nigeria, and that their efforts are crucial to achieving this goal. He also announced that the Federal Government is open to receiving recommendations from the committee on the new national minimum wage.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, announced that the new national minimum wage will take effect from May 1, 2024, despite ongoing negotiations. She stated that a wide consultation is ongoing to ensure that the document is ready as soon as possible.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have been calling for a wage increase, with the NLC demanding a new minimum wage of N615,000. The current minimum wage of N30,000 is no longer sufficient for workers due to economic realities and the high cost of living in Nigeria.
The labour unions have been pressing for a review of the minimum wage, which expired in April, five years after the Minimum Wage Act of 2019 was signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari. The Act is to be reviewed every five years to meet up with contemporary economic demands of workers.
